Last Straw
by Real Emma Gray
Summary: Alec is finally tired of Max blaming him for everything. Max/Alec


Author:- The Transgenic Cause

Start Date:- 16th July 2008

Disclaimer:- I do not own Dark Angel or any of th characters. It's merely a dream of mine!

AN:- Ok, this was actually written as a prompt story from the Dark Angel fanfiction site Raising Hell, but I thought why not put it up here and let everyone read it as well! So please read, hopefully enjoy, and review!

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**LAST STRAW**

The office door was slammed with such force it was almost broken from it's hinges, the fact the wood was already well on it's way to decay not helping. As the frame shuddered against the strength, the remainder of the room shuddered slightly as well.

"What the hell was that about?" Mole asked Alec who was stood by his side.

"I have no idea," Alec said, still staring at the door Max had slammed moments ago. "But I'm gonna find out."

The command room had once again been witness to one of Max and Alec's annual arguments. And, yet again, it was because of something Alec had done. Max had sent him out with a couple of X6's to get some well-needed supplies due to the standoff with the police. Now he had come back with supplies, but he also came back with a wounded X6 after it had gone sideways with unknown guards. And Max had, as always, blamed Alec.

Alec had become used to this. If something went wrong, Max blamed Alec, it's just the way it was. But there was only so much a person could take, and this was it for Alec.

He stormed into her office, slamming the door behind him this time. Max was sat hunched over her desk, the scowl still on her face when she saw Alec.

"Get out, Alec," she said, turning back to her desk. "I've said all I'm gonna say. We're done with this."

"No, I don't think we are," Alec said, adamantly crossing his arms over his chest. "You know, I've put up with an awful lot from you for the past few months."

"_You've_ put up with a lot from _me_!" Max practically screeched at him, jumping from her chair and turning to face him. "I'm not the screw up in the room here. I'm not the one who messes up every run I get sent out on."

"Neither am I!" Alec yelled back at her. "You just seem to think it's right, or fun, or whatever, to paint me that way."

"What are you talking about, Alec?" Max asked him.

"All those things you blame on me," Alec clarified. "All that stuff you put on me. It's never my fault."

"And how do you figure that?"

"That intel mission a few weeks ago. It wasn't my fault it went wrong, it was Tray who blew our cover. The supply run before that. It wasn't my fault we lost the supplies, it was the inexperienced X6 _you_ sent with me against _my_ wishes that got caught and we had to rescue him. And tonight. It wasn't my fault there were extra guards there, it was Logan who told us there wouldn't be any. Yet for each one of these occurrences, and more than I can count before that, it is always me you put it on. And it is NOT MY FAULT!"

"But you're the one I put in charge, Alec. You're the one who, out on these missions, the others depend on as their leader. So if something goes wrong, YOU ARE TO BLAME!"

Alec paused there, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He didn't want this. He didn't wanna get into another pointless argument with Max and listen while she told him what a failure he was and how much she hated him. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but it hurt more than he would have liked when she told him he hated her. He cared about her more than she knew, but all he could ever be to her was a screw up, a failure. Someone she wished she had never met.

"Ok, Max," Alec said calmly. "You're right. And I'm sorry, all right. I really am, Max."

"You know what, Alec," Max said. "I just don't believe that. I've heard you say sorry to many times now to really believe you're not playing me. So give it up."

And Alec lost his calm again.

"What the hell do you want me to do, Max!?" Alec screamed at her. "What is it I have got to do to be anything other than a screw up in your eyes? Because Lord knows I've tried. That's all I've done in fact, try to please you."

"What?" Max stammered out slightly.

"Everything, Max! Every time I do what you ask without question, let you blame me for things I know I didn't do, let you take it out on me when you've had a bad day. Every time, it's all for you. All just another hopeful step towards you maybe seeing me as a friend, someone that's there for you, but no! Joshua got your understanding and friendship from the very beginning, you trust those guys out there with anything. Hell, you even put more faith in a number of X5's you've only just met more than you do me! So tell me, Max. What in God's name do I have to do to get that forgiveness you do easily give to everyone else?"

"Alec, I… I mean… I…." Max stammered again.

"Seriously Max, I wanna know how you see me, because you are confusing as hell."

"What do you mean?"

"William Blake once said that 'it's easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend'. Which one are you?" Alec asked. "What are we, me and you? Friend or foe. Because you never seem to wanna forgive me, yet take great pleasure in telling me how much you hate me. So what is it, Max?"

"It's not like that, Alec," Max said, her voice soft now as she turned her gaze away from him.

"Then what is it like, Max," Alec said. "Tell me, because I need to know. If there's no chance in hell you'll ever see me any differently, tell me now, and I can just give up trying, let you hate me."

"Alec, it's just easier," Max said, still looking down.

"What's easier?" Alec asked.

"Getting mad at you, blaming you, acting like I truly hate you," Max told him. "It's just easier."

"Easier than what?" Alec asked.

"Admitting the truth," Max said, finally looking up at him. "Alec, when I heard someone had been shot tonight, I was scared. So scared that it might have been you."

"So what," Alec said. "You find out I'm fine… and scream at me. Max, that's not logical."

"You really don't get it, Alec. It's just plain easier. When something goes wrong, when you almost get hurt, it's easier for me to yell and hit instead of tell you what I'm feeling. It's what I've always done, and I'm not about to stop now."

"You ever think it might actually be easier to just tell people how you feel, letting them in."

"No. Because I tell someone how I feel, open up to them, and then they leave. It's the way life goes."

"I'm not gonna anywhere," Alec said, his voice soft again, almost hopeful.

"Alec, I…." Max started, actually starting to open up to the person she really wanted to for the first time. But… she couldn't. She wasn't about to open up to someone only to have them throw it back in her face like she really thought Alec.

"You know what, Alec," Max continued. "I'm not about to have this conversation with you. I can't."

"God, Max!" Alec groaned out, back to his aggravated tone. "You say I don't understand, then when I give you the chance, you won't let me. I'm trying, Max. I really am. I wanna understand you. I wanna know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours. But no, I get nothing. I care about you, and I've tried to prove that to you, but you won't let me. I'm here and ready to listen, but still you shut me out. I do nothing but support you, make sure I've always got your back, yet you still won't trust me. I don't get it, what have I got to do, be more like Logan. The man puts you in danger almost everyday with those Goddamn Eyes Only missions of his, but no matter what you still love him and…."

"I don't," Max interrupted him.

"Don't what?" Alec asked.

"I don't love Logan," Max answered.

"Since when?" Alec asked, a little beyond shocked. "A few weeks ago, you thought the sun shined out of his ass. What exactly changed?"

"Since I… well since I…." Max stammered out, still scared about telling Alec this.

"Since when, Max?" Alec said softly, stepping slowly towards her. And she didn't move back. "Max, I'm gonna tell you this one last time. I'm here, ready to listen, just like I always have been. Talk to me."

Max looked up at the guy stood in front of her, up at sparkling hazel green eyes that, along with the killer smile, had probably made quite a few girls go weak at the knees, and took a deep breath.

"Since I realised that maybe you're right," Max told him. "You're right about Logan… and about you. You always have my back, no matter what, and I know I can always count on your support. That stopped a long time with Logan. Now I feel like all I am to him in the hired help on his Eyes Only missions. That maybe he doesn't care about me, but you…."

"I do," Alec finished for her, his voice dropping an octave. " I do care about you."

"I know that Alec," she said with her first small smile. "I can see it. And it made me realise, see that it's not Logan I love. It's…."

"What, Max?" Alec said, edging her on when she stopped.

"It's you I love," Max finally admitted.

For a second, Max was unsure. She didn't know what Alec was gonna say, if he wasn't gonna laugh in her face and say he was simply playing her like he always did. But no, he didn't say a thing. Instead he moved even closer to her, pressing his body close up against hers, and leant his head down to capture her lips in a sweet kiss.

"I love you, Alec," Max repeated once he pulled back.

"I love you, too, Maxie," Alec said with a smile, capturing her lips again in another kiss, this one with more passion as Max pulled herself closer into him, wrapping her arms round his neck as she happily and hungrily returned the kiss.

In that one simple act, in those three little words, Max answered the question Alec had asked her earlier. They weren't friends, weren't foe, weren't enemies.

They were mates.

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AN:- Ok, so what do you guys think? This is my first MA fiction, so feedback is most definitely welcome. I always love your reviews.


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